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Clinical Characteristics and Outcome Analysis of 94 Children With Brain Abscess in Beijing: A Single-center
Zhen-Zhen Dou1, Ling-Yun Guo1, Lin-Lin Liu1
1From the Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Department of Infectious Diseases.
Insights
Pediatric brain abscess in China has high mortality. Early aggressive treatment within the first week is crucial, especially for cases with multiple abscesses or intraventricular rupture, to improve outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Limited studies exist on pediatric brain abscess in China.
- This study analyzes recent clinical characteristics and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate clinical features and outcomes of pediatric brain abscess in China.
- To identify risk factors for unfavorable outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 94 children with brain abscess.
- Data collected from Beijing Children's Hospital (2007-2016).
Main Results:
- Streptococcus milleri group was the most common pathogen (13.8%).
- Overall mortality was 21.6%, with 50% dying within the first week.
- Multiple abscesses and intraventricular rupture/hydrocephalus correlated with unfavorable outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric brain abscess is a severe condition with high mortality.
- Aggressive early treatment is vital, particularly within the first week.
- Patients with multiple abscesses or intraventricular rupture require intensified management.
Background:
There are limit studies about pediatric brain abscess in China. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric brain abscess in recent years in China.
Methods:
The clinical information of children with brain abscess hospitalized in Beijing Children's Hospital between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2016 were retrospectively reviewed.
Results:
Ninety-four children were enrolled in this study. A Streptococcus milleri group (13.8%) was identified as the most common causative organisms, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (6.4%). The overall mortality was 21.6%, with 50.0% of deaths happening in the first week after diagnosis. Long-term outcomes of 74 patients were assessed with Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended Pediatric Reversion: 50 patients with a score of 1-2 (favorable outcome) and 24 patients with a score of 3-8 (unfavorable outcome). Patients with multiple abscesses (P = 0.029) and intraventricular rupture of brain abscess/hydrocephalus (P = 0.024) had higher risk of unfavorable outcomes.
Conclusions:
Brain abscess is a serious disease with high mortality in children; more aggressive treatments should be considered in the first week of diagnosis because of high risk of death, and for patients with multiple brain abscesses and intraventricular rupture of brain abscess/hydrocephalus because of their higher risk of unfavorable.
